Whatcom party endorsements for 2014 elections

Endorsements of the candidates whom Whatcom County voters will see on their 2014 ballots have been trickling in, and I thought I'd round them up and present them here and now. This is not intended to be a complete list; it's just what I had in front of me at this moment.

Whatcom Republicans

At a recent Central Committee meeting, the county GOP endorsed 42nd District incumbents Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, for senator; and Vincent Buys, R-Lynden, for representative.

As for the other 42nd District House seat, where two Republicans are running, the Central Committee did not pick favorites.

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"The Central Committee voted unanimously to provide support to former Whatcom County Party Chair Luanne Van Werven and former County Councilman Bill Knutzen, who are both good Republicans running for the seat vacated by Rep. Jason Overstreet," said county party Chairman Charlie Crabtree's Second Quarter Report, emailed on June 29.

To concentrate on her campaign, Van Werven resigned from two party positions she held, state party vice-chairwoman and county party committeewoman. In June, the county party elected Kathy Kershner, County Council member from 2009-13, to replace Van Werven as committeewoman. Kershner's term will run until the December 2014 party reorganization meeting.

Finally on the Republican front, party members at a recent Northwest Republican Leadership Conference participated in a 2016 presidential straw poll. The results, according to Crabtree's email:

1) Scott Walker (Wisc. governor) -- 39.71%

2) Rand Paul (Ky. senator) -- 25%

3) "Other" -- 11.76%

4) Ted Cruz (Texas senator) -- 8.82%

4) Jeb Bush (ex-Fla. governor) -- 8.82%

6) Marco Rubio (Fla. senator) -- 4.41%

6) Chris Christie (N.J. governor) -- 4.41%

Whatcom County Democrats

At a meeting on June 19, the Democrats endorsed all five of their party's candidates for the state Legislature in districts 40 and 42:

The only candidate who faces a meaningful primary is Sidhu, who would replace Overstreet. (All candidates in partisan races appear on the primary ballot, even if only two people are running. The outcome of any primary vote in such races is meaningless.) Sidhu faces the two Republicans, Van Werven and Knutzen, and Libertarian Nick Kunkel. Morris is running unopposed.

For the Public Utility Distict commission, Bob Burr won the party's endorsement, which was sought by all three candidates, including incumbent Jeff McClure and challenger Matthew Goggins.

Earlier, the party endorsed the two incumbents in the U.S. House of Representatives who represent Whatcom County -- Suzan DelBene in District 1 and Rick Larsen in District 2. Both have more than one challenger and face a meaningful primary.

The party will endorse candidates for Charter Review Commission on July 17, according to a June 20 press release from the county Dems.

Green Party of Whatcom County

Green Party member Burr reported June 18 on Facebook some of his party's endorsements:

Burr himself was endorsed for Public Utility District commissioner. (That makes two endorsements for Burr, for those scoring at home.)

Other Green endorsements: Sidhu for 42nd District House, and Mike Lapointe for Larsen's seat in Congress.